Reconnected
by xxenchanted
Summary: Nine years ago, they were in love. But six years later, everything changed. ChasexAkari
1. Prologue

First story up. I really hope you guys enjoy it.

Summary: Akari and Chase fell in love, and life was good. Nine years later, they're on the brink of divorce because of Akari's incident three years ago. When their son goes missing, they have to brace the past, forget their problems, and save him.

I. Prologue

* * *

_The very first day that he laid his eyes on her, he knew she was something special. She was short and quirky, soft brown hair framing her face in the most perfect way possible, bringing out her dark amber eyes._

_He wiped his hands on his black apron, getting rid of the sticky dough that had collected on his fingers, and rolled his purple sleeves up to his elbow, walking over to the edge of the bar as she sat herself on the stool. He leaned over the counter, elbows propped up so that he could rest his head upon his hands. She looked up at him, eyes meeting. "Hi," he grinned. "Welcome to Sundae Inn's bar."_

"_Hi," she smiled softly, squirming around in her seat to get comfortable. She took another look at him, realizing she had no clue who he was. Where was Hayden, who usually worked here? And Kathy? "I've... never seen you around. Did you just move here?"_

"_Came last night when I heard there was a job opening at the best chef's little cafe," he replied. "Kathy and Hayden are taking a break today. It's been a while since they've really had one. Can I get you anything?"_

"_Oh, I don't know. What would you recommend?"_

"_Anything Yolanda makes is amazing," he remarked, gesturing his head toward the little old cook behind him._

"_What about you? Can you cook anything amazing?"_

"_Nah. I'll get there some day though."_

"_Oh, please," she rolled her eyes. "Don't be modest about it. I bet you're great."_

"_Not really."_

"_I'm sure you're much better than I am. The best thing I can cook is frozen food. Yum," she smiled, rubbing her stomach with one hand. "I bet you're better than you say you are."_

_He smiled, getting off the counter. "Why don't I just show you?"_

"_Right now? Because I'm feeling for some yummy bouillabaisse."_

"_Sorry. Today, I'm serving only, not cooking." He couldn't help but notice the look of disappointment that flashed on her face and smiled inwardly. "What about... Sunday? My place. I'll cook whatever you want me to, and I promise you, it is nothing near amazing."_

_She quirked an eyebrow. "Are you asking me out on a date?"_

"_I think I am."_

* * *

The minute he saw her, he knew she was burning with anger. _'Fuck. What the hell did I do this time?'_ Her long brown hair was a dull color, messily held up in a distraught pony tail with bangs strewn around her face, sticking with sweat. Her dark eyes stood out amongst her face, full of anger and weariness against her gray face. He hadn't seen them actually shine in, well, forever.

He let out a little groan, as she marched up to him at the bar. He wiped his hands off of his green apron and rolled up his sleeves. "Hi," he attempted to greet her.

"Don't you fucking try to avoid this," she warned, as she seated herself on a stool. She rubbed her temples furiously with her finger. Life was hell. She needed something to get her thoughts off of it. "I want some vodka."

"No," he replied firmly, a grimace taking place on his lips. He sighed, stuffing his hands in his pockets, playing around with the keys that jingled in them. His fingers brushed across a tiny photo frame, a picture that reminded him why he was still there, together with her.

"Don't tell me what to do!"

"Well, I'm in control of the bar today, so I _will_ tell you what to do. You're not drinking any vodka," he calmly said in the coldest tone he had used all day.

"Fuck you," she hissed, her hands jumbling together on the counter in front of her. She was so angrily distraught; she hadn't taken care of herself in weeks. She felt as if her life was at a mess. She only had one child to raise, one husband to take care of, yet she felt as if she couldn't handle anything. What had gone so wrong?

She felt her defense tumble, and she started to break into sobs. She was having a melt down. Her breath hitched, as she attempted to breathe in some air. She didn't know what to do. She couldn't do anything. She knew it, too.

She buried her head into her hands. Her arms were wet from all her tears, but she didn't care. There were other things she needed to worry about.

But she had forgotten why she had stormed into the Inn in the first place. What was it that she needed to tell Chase again?

Whatever. Screw it. Her life was a mess anyway. What difference would it make if she forgot to tell her husband something? Again.

"Akari," he nudged her, his voice soothing and soft, as he watched her break down. It wasn't a first. The number of break downs she had increased, as weeks passed by. She was getting weaker by the second, and he noticed it too. She believed everything everyone told her, and the more they bullied her, the worse she became. He knew she didn't mean to, but she always took it out on him.

She shook her head and wiped her tears at his touch, getting up. "Just... make me some bouillabaisse later," she muttered, grabbing her bag and heading out the door.

"I know."

* * *

"_Good morning!" he grinned as he leaned down to kiss her on the cheek. Around his bare chest was, of course, his apron. She gave a big yawn, covering her mouth, as her eyes glazed over with water. She smiled brightly afterward, snuggling deeper into the bed, pulling the thick quilt around her._

"_Are you cooking breakfast?" she asked groggily, wiping her short, wispy strands of hair away from her face. _

"_Just for you." He walked away from her bed to the kitchen across the house, flipping pancakes the minute he got over there. _

_Akari grinned, as she got out of bed, grabbing his shirt in the process and pulling it over her head. She flounced off to the table and sat down. "I'm ready to eat! Serve me!"_

_He chuckled at her, saying in reply, "Be patient, oh noble one."_

"_Hurry or... your head shall be off!" She squirmed, trying to think of the actual phrase. "Or something like that. Oh! Off with their heads! Your head. Off with your head!"_

_He laughed and shook his head. "If you slaughtered my head off, I wouldn't be able to kiss you anymore."_

_She scrunched her face, her eyebrows narrowing, as her mind comprehended the thought. "Well that would suck."_

"_And I wouldn't be able to cook for you anymore either."_

"_Now that would really suck," she replied, frowning. She loved his food, despite the fact that he continuously told her that it wasn't good. She thought it was amazing, and she could live on it. That, or maybe it was just because she hated frozen food. "Well, I guess your head doesn't go off then."_

"_Lucky me. I get to kiss and cook for this girl every day."_

"_Really?" she asked, excitement running through her veins. "I get your food every day?"_

_He laughed. "Of course. Forever."_

* * *

"Morning," Akari grumbled, as she stumbled down the stairs. She had a huge migraine from staying up last night, taking a walk around the town. As the years passed by, more and more buildings popped up. The supposedly small town had become more like a city.

"Morning," Chase replied, giving her a brief kiss on the cheek.

"What'd you make for breakfast?" she asked, as she grabbed a chair and sat herself down.

"We don't have much in the fridge, so I grabbed some eggs from the coop." He hesitated before saying, "If... that's okay."

"Whatever," she muttered. "You should've gone to the general store and stocked up on the fridge."

"I'm sorry I actually have a job so that I can take care of this family," he replied coldly.

"Oh, please. I make enough to support all of us. Maybe if you actually paid any attention this family, you would've noticed by now."

"I do pay attention to you and to Aiden!" he roared, slamming the pan against the stove. The egg flopped off the pan and onto the stove, creating a sizzling sound, and the kitchen filled with smoke and the scent of something burning.

A cough was heard from upstairs and then footsteps could be heard running down the stairway. "What's that smell?" a boy, about the age of eight, coughed, covering his mouth and nose with his hand.

"Oh, God, Aiden," Akari cried, jumping up from her seat and rushing to her son's aid. She pat him on the back and brought him outside, telling him to quietly wait until the smoke was out of the house. He nodded at her and decided to play with the many farm animals that were outside grazing.

Akari went back inside. "Look what you did, Chase!"

"This," he gestured, "is my fault? It was your fault for accusing me of never paying attention to you guys. I always pay attention."

"When was the last time you actually attended one of your son's soccer games? Did you notice that last week, he brought home a trophy?"

Chase was quiet, thinking of the events that happened last week. He was certain that if Aiden had brought home a trophy, he would've noticed. Surely. How could he have passed that? But he knew he did. Because he was working at the bar. Again.

"Do you even pay any attention to your wife? To me? Do you notice that everyone talks shit about me? Even when I'm there, they sneer in my face."

"I know."

"You know? _You know?"_ she screeched. "You knew, but all you did was just stand there, watching me, as I took it in for three years? I've suffered for that long, Chase."

"I know," he whispered, his eyes softening.

"Then why didn't you do anything?"

"Because... I didn't know what to do."

She glared at him. She didn't understand. There was always something to do. Always.

"I need some air," she breathed, going back outside.

"I'm sorry."

* * *

_She sat on the soft sand, feeling its wispy hands surrounding her feet. She wiggled her toes, enjoying the feeling of the sand playing between them. She let out a breathy gasp, as she was pulled away from the sand and was sent flying into the air, caught again by a pair of strong arms._

"_Chase!" she screamed with delight and then fury, hitting him on the shoulder. "That wasn't funny at all!"_

_He could only laugh at her attempt to hurt him, smirking as another idea set into his mind. _

_She noticed that smirk. He was planning something, and she had a feeling it wasn't going to be good. "What are you plan—" Before she could finish her question, the ocean water quickly surrounded her, filling up the mouth that was once going to ask a question. She garbled it and spit it out, as she swum quickly to the surface. "You jackass!"_

_He smiled lazily, as he sat down upon the sand, feeling the mixture of water and sand come between his toes. "How was your bath, m'lady?"_

"_It was terrible, you shitty knight," she scoffed, sitting her very soaked self next to him. "I would totally kick your ass right now, but I'm kind of cold and very lazy."_

_He smirked, as he pulled off his shirt, tugging it over her shivering body. "What were you doing here?"_

"_Thinking. I always think here."_

"_About what?"_

"_My future," she grinned. "I've been thinking about what I want to do with it."_

"_You're only nineteen," he replied, raising his eyebrow._

"_Yes, and you're twenty-one," she said with a comeback. "What are you planning to do with your life?"_

"_Well, for starters, I'm going to be a chef."_

"_We all know that," she answered, rolling her dark brown eyes at him. She raised her hands in a big gesture. "Chase's Cafe. Yes. You are going to have your own cafe for sure." She let out a small giggle and fell on her back with a soft thud._

"_I don't know about that. My food isn't that great."_

_She hit him lightly on the shoulder and then closed her eyes. She could feel the sun soaking into her now dry skin. "Stop saying that. I think it's fabulous. Is that all you want? To be a chef? Because it's definitely going to happen." _

"_Who knows. But I want to marry. Have a wife. A few kids. I want a son, and I want to name him Aiden," he said slowly, drawing his words out with each syllable._

"_Why Aiden?" she inquired, curious, opening her eyes to look at him._

"_It means 'little fire'. And if you're a fire, you always get bigger, and you always get stronger. If someone puts you out, you just need a little push, and you can accomplish anything."_

"_Wow," she breathed. She had never really thought that far. All she knew was that... she loved her animals. And she loved ranching and farming. And she definitely wanted a few kids and a husband._

"_And... I want this kid... with you." His words came out softly and slowly, as he swiftly turned his head to look at her. His bright violet eyes met her sparkly brown ones, and they could feel the electric charge that surged through them. "I want... my life to be with you because... that's what I see in the future. I see you by my side through thick and thin. No matter what."_

_He pulled out a blue feather from his pocket and handed it to her. She scrambled back up to a sitting position and gently took the blue feather out of his hand. She gazed at him, her eyes wide with delight. _

"_I just... I wanted to tell you I love you. And... I was wondering if you'd be by my side. Always."_

"_Always," she whispered, pulling him into a hug and then a kiss._

* * *

Akari sat down on the sand. This was her thinking spot. She just... needed to get away, to listen to the waves crashing down, to feel the sand between her toes, to hear the birds chirping as if they had no care in the world. She closed her eyes and breathed in the fresh air. It calmed her immediately.

"I knew I'd find you here."

"Chase," she acknowledged with a nod, eyes still closed. "What are you doing here?"

"What are you thinking about?" he shot back, stuffing his hands in his pockets, as he watched her sit there intently. He sighed and sat next to her.

"My life."

"What about it?"

She opened her eyes and reverted her gaze to him. "What went so wrong with it."

"It wasn't your fault."

"Oh, no. It's yours. And mine. And everybody else's in this damn fucking town."

"Akari..." he reached out to touch her, to knock some sense into her, but she slapped his hand away.

"God, this place is hell. I wish I had never moved here."

"Stop saying that."

"Why? Because it's true," she cried angrily. "I hate my life here. I hate it, Chase. The people here, they look at me as if I were scum. You, I can't go _an hour_ without arguing with you, or yelling at you, or vice versa. And Aiden... well, he's the only person who keeps me sane anymore."

"Akari, married couples fight. That's what they do. That doesn't mean they don't love each other."

"Do you?"

"Do I what?"

"Do you still love me? How could you? I've become such a narcissistic bitch ever since... that incident three years ago," she muttered softly. "Three years ago, life was so different."

"I do," he murmured. "I still love you."

She gazed at him, searching his eyes for the lie, but she could see love pouring out of his eyes and his words. She knew he had told the truth. "I don't know."

"You don't know..."

"If I still love you."

"You don't know," he repeated firmly.

"We fight practically every minute, Chase."

"But that happens."

"Chase, I don't think so. Chase, I just... I don't think I'm happy anymore. Not with you. Not with anybody."

"What are you getting at?" he asked warily.

"Chase, I... I want to get a divorce."

"A divorce."

"Yes, a divorce," she snapped. "Do I have to repeat everything?"

He was quiet for a few moments, unsure of how to reply. He didn't want this. At all. Sure Akari annoyed the shit out of him really often, but that didn't mean he didn't love her. He did. He wanted to take care of her. He was just... scared... and didn't know how. But... she was so unhappy. He'd only make her unhappier, and if this would make her happy... "Why the hell not," he muttered. "If it... if it makes you happier, then okay. We'll get a divorce."

* * *

Whoot. First chapter down. It took me a while to actually gather this plot together, but here it finally is. I just wanted to show you guys the difference between their relationships, past and present. Hope you guys saw that, and I hope you guys enjoyed it. The story will soon pick up its pace. Reviews would be great, and if you have any suggestions, I'd be happy to hear them! :]

xxenchanted


	2. Just Understand

Well, here's to chapter two! I hope you guys like it. And the story in general. I'm so sorry if it's confusing people! Questions are much welcomed.

**Disclaimer:** Does not belong to me whatsoever.

Chapter 2 - Just Understand

* * *

"Hey, Gill," Chase muttered, running his hands through his hair and then over his mouth in a gesture that showed he was thoroughly tired of everything. He stood next to Akari, who he could tell was feeling awkward and uncomfortable standing at the Town Hall in front of two people she really didn't want to see. Like she even wanted to see anyone, for that matter. "Where's your, uhm, dad?" He cleared his throat. "I meant Hamilton. Is Mayor Hamilton there?"

Gill looked up from his pile of paperwork, his frosty blue eyes in a daze. "What is it that you need, Chase." It wasn't a question, Chase could tell. It was a full on statement, going more for the _Why the hell are you bothering me_ approach. Chase noticed Gill's gaze didn't even flicker towards Akari. He noticed that to Gill, Akari was nothing, not even a speck of dust on his radar.

Chase cleared his throat, his violet eyes piercing at Gill. "Akari wants— we want to file a divorce. We need to speak to Hamilton."

Gill let out a deep sigh, opening a cabinet and going through some folders. He pulled one out and grabbed a few forms from inside. "The divorce process is simple in Waffle Town. Just fill these forms and sign your names here and here, and I'll have you speak to Mayor Hamilton once you're finished."

"Of course." Chase grabbed the forms from the counter and ushered Akari over to the lonely bench parked at the right end of the lobby. She meekly followed behind, soft steps echoing throughout the room.

As they sat in silence, each focusing on their forms, Akari thought of the way her son would react. After a few days of their decision, they still had yet to tell their son. She knew Aiden would be devastated. "Chase... Aiden."

"What?"

"Aiden. We still haven't told Aiden," she murmured, stopping her pen and laying it down on the clipboard. She looked at him, her dark eyes teary. "He'll be devastated."

He sighed in reply, tucking his pen into the crevice of his clipboard. "Maybe we should wait a few days until we finalize everything. It's not like we have to speed the process. Right? Unless you already have another man waiting for you," he joked.

She glared at him. "That's not funny, Chase. You know everyone hates me because of what happened."

He groaned, massaging his temples. It was so hard to relax the situation because she tensed up about everything. He rubbed his hands over his face, feeling a stubble. He hadn't shaved in a few days, still distressed over the whole divorce. He didn't mean to go too far with the joke. He was just so tired of everything. He really, really wanted to relax. He wanted a vacation, just... to go away and stop worrying. "I know. I'm sorry. I went too far," he muttered.

"Let's turn these forms in another day," she said.

"Trying to keep our marriage together longer?" he smirked, attempting to lighten the mood.

It didn't work. Again.

She glared at him and stalked out of the Town Hall.

* * *

_Go in, get food, buy food, go out. _It was simple, she told herself. Barely any communication in the process. She only wanted to buy food to stock her fridge. Easy enough. Had to be. She inhaled and exhaled, pushing through the doors of the General Store. _Brace yourself._

She took a glance around the shop. Not empty, like she had hoped, but not packed either. It couldn't be too hard. She walked around and dropped some food into the basket she had picked up at the door. So far, so good, she told herself. No one was talking to her, and she didn't have to speak to anyone.

This was going to be okay.

"Hi there, _slut_," she heard a familiar voice behind her say. She closed her eyes, trying to block out the sounds. _Ignore her. Ignore her. Ignore her._ "Cat got your tongue? Heard you and Chase were filing for a divorce. Finally left you, huh? Probably couldn't stand the thought of being with you any longer. Three years after that incident. So long. Poor him. Glad he'll be back on the market. He sure is yummy."

Akari turned around, her mouth bracing into the biggest, fakest smile ever and mentally coated the following words with extra sweet sugar. "Hi, Kathy! How are you? You know, I was just going to get some food to bring home to my _husband_ and sweetest kid ever. Isn't it great to be twenty-eight and still single, Kathy? I'm sure you're having a blast. At least I've had a man. For nine years."

Kathy narrowed her green eyes, her lips curling into a devious smirk. "Yeah? Well, at least I can still get a man. The minute you divorce Chase, you'll be a loner. Forever. No one in this town likes you. You're not going to find anyone here."

The people in the shop were staring at them fighting now. Akari could sense all eyes on her, waiting for her to respond. "Well, that's just fantastic, isn't it? Because I don't like anyone in this town anyway."

Before Kathy could respond, the doors to the general store burst open, and Maya flung herself inside. "Kathy! What's taking you so long? Yolanda says to hurry up with the grocery shopping so that she can start preparing food for tomorrow." Her eyes widened, as she saw Kathy and Akari head to head with several people surrounding them. "I don't... I didn't... What..?"

"Nothing, Maya. We were just... talking. Weren't we, Akari?"

"If you call that talking, sure," she replied with a scoff, rolling her eyes. "Hello, Maya. Long time, no talk."

Maya refused to meet her gaze, her big eyes dancing around the store, looking everywhere—anywhere but at Akari. "Oh, uhm... yeah! Long time, no... talk. I've been really busy lately."

Maya didn't hate her, Akari could tell. But she did fear her. She feared what everyone would think of her if she talked to... the outcast of the town. And there was no way she could be hated by everyone. Maya couldn't stand that. She was a people person. She liked to be loved and appreciated, and those attributes did not come from being nice to Akari.

"Of course you have. Every time I stop by the Inn to see Chase, you're always busy... avoiding me."

"You don't deserve Chase!" Maya blurted out. She blushed furiously, as everyone's gaze turned towards her, astonished. Everyone knew Maya didn't do outbursts like that. She never dared. She was far too sweet to really mean anything... mean. When she yelled at people, it was more of a childish manner. But this wasn't a childish manner. That was for sure. "I mean... I mean..."

Kathy snorted and rolled her eyes. "You know exactly what you mean, Maya. Just say whatever's going on in your brain."

"I... I will! You're so mean to him, Akari! Every time you come into the Inn, all you do is yell at him. He doesn't deserve that. He... he's taken care of you for the past three years. He deserves more love than that. You're... you're not fit to be with him. I'm glad... you guys are getting a divorce," she fumbled around with her speech, beat red in the face.

"You tell her, girl!"

Akari stared at Maya. Maya just told her what Akari was trying to tell herself all along. She cast her eyes downward and then met Maya's fearful gaze. "I know."

* * *

"Chase," Akari acknowledged him as she entered their small two-story house. He was sprawled over the couch, flipping through the channels of the TV. He looked up and nodded at her to show that he had heard her. "Where's Aiden?"

"I dropped him off at soccer practice a few hours ago."

"They have practice on Sundays?"

"Not usually, but they said they were canceling Tuesday's practice because Luke has to do some business for his father."

"Oh."

Chase sat up and brushed himself off. "Akari. I think we should tell him when he gets home."

She sat herself down at the kitchen table, dropping the grocery bags. She rubbed her face with her hands and then ran them through her long brown hair. "Yeah..."

"It's already been two days since we grabbed the forms from Town Hall," he slowly replied, getting up and grabbing a seat across from her. He reached over and grabbed her hand, holding it tenderly in his. "It's time."

"I know," she whispered.

They sat in silence for a few minutes, but it felt like hours to Akari. Just the two of them, sitting at the kitchen table, his hand clasped over hers, to assure her everything would be okay. Of course, she knew it wouldn't be. She knew... Kathy and Maya were both right. She didn't deserve Chase. And the minute the divorce would be finalized... she'd be alone in a whole town that hated her. All she had left was her son... but what if he hated them for divorcing? She couldn't stand it if Aiden hated her too.

"Chase... what will I do?" she sobbed, retracting her hand from his and burying her face in her arms.

"What do you mean?" he grimaced at the sight of her.

"When we're divorced... I won't have anyone," she replied softly. "We both know that. And... what if Aiden hates me? Then I'll really be lonely. Maybe I should just... move out of town."

"Akari. You know I'll always be here for you despite the fact that we'll be divorced... Sure, you get on my nerves plenty of times, but you know I still care for you."

"Why don't you hate me, Chase?"

"Why would I hate you?"

"Because... I'm just terrible. I'm mean, bitchy, a horrible wife... I even want a divorce... How could you possibly still care for me?"

He hesitated to answer, unsure of even how. He started out slow. "Because... Why... why wouldn't I? You're still you. You might be disheveled and... distraught, but that doesn't change the fact that... you're still the girl I fell in love with nine years ago."

"Are you having some kind of mental fantasy?" she snapped. "This... Me... I'm not the same. We both know it. I was happy back then. I was nice... I was... quirky. Now, I'm just... ugh."

"So?" he growled. "I don't... I can't explain it. You're you and nobody else. That's really... that's all to it."

"Really."

"Yes, really, Akari. Even if you change your personality... as long as you're the person I fell in love with... I'll always love you."

"That..." she scrunched her eyebrows together. "That doesn't make sense."

He only let out a tiny smile, full of remorse and a sadness she couldn't comprehend. "You'll understand it one day."

"I still... I still want a divorce, Chase."

His heart ached at the words she said, but it wasn't like he was going to do anything about it. He couldn't just not sign the forms. This life of hers... He was just keeping her from everything. He wasn't even sure if he was protecting her anymore. This would make her happier. This would make things okay. "Yeah. I know, Akari."

* * *

"Hey, Luke," Chase greeted, stepping onto the fields that they used as the soccer field grounds. They had turned the whole West Gull Island into a huge field for all sports with a recreation building at the far end near East Gull Island. He scanned the area for his son with no sign of his appearance. "Where's Aiden?"

Luke, entirely exhausted, sat back on the bench that lay on the side of the drawn out field. His eyes gazed over the students. "I... I haven't seen him, Chase. He went to the bathroom," he said, nodding his head over to the small little shed next to the recreation building that they had built, "but... it's been twenty minutes since he left. I sent a kiddo over to check up on him a few minutes ago, but he hasn't come back yet."

Panic flashed in Chase's eyes for merely a second. _Aiden is fine. He'll come back safe and sound with his soccer friend. _He sat down next to Luke to give him something to do instead of think of what could have happened. Aiden was fine though, he assured himself. He had to be. "How are you and... Selena? You're dating Selena, right?"

"Yeah, man," he grinned toothily. "We're... great. She's great. She's all I ever wanted in a girl. So... different... exotic... I can't explain it. You know?"

"I know what you mean."

"How are you and..." Luke's voice drifted off, not even daring to mention her name. "I heard you guys were filing a divorce."

Chase closed his eyes and leaned back against the bench. "Rumors spread around fast, huh?"

Luke nodded. "So is it true?"

"I guess," he muttered.

"What do you mean, you guess?"

"It's not like... I want to. I still love her."

Luke's face scrunched together, confused. "How? After what she did? You should be happy you're finally free from her. Free from being forced to take care of her."

Chase felt the fury burning inside of him, but... he wasn't sure what to do. He couldn't just hit Luke. Luke was his friend. Had been whenever Chase was orphaned as a kid and stayed a friend when he was forced to move into an orphan house away from Waffle Town. But... Akari was his wife. _Not like she cares about you anymore. _"It wasn't her fault," he gritted out.

_This is what she was talking about. You know. You know how everyone talks about her, and you don't do shit about it. _He was such a coward.

Luke replied with a snort. "Right. Of course it wasn't. She's still..." He wrinkled his nose to show Chase what he meant. "Disgusting. Disgraceful. I don't know how you could stand her all these years. And please. Love? I think you're just hallucinating to yourself so that you don't feel guilty for leaving her alone on her own."

Before Luke even knew what was coming, Chase had created a bloody nose on his face, forcing Luke to topple on to the ground. "She's not disgraceful or disgusting. You're fucking disgusting for talking about her like that. You don't know what she's been through, Luke."

Luke raised his hand to his nose, feeling for broken bones. Chase had made sure it wasn't broken, but Luke felt the blood dripping into his mouth. He could taste the bitterness of iron seeping through his teeth. He wiped it off with his sleeve and glared at the man standing on top of him from his position on the grass. "What the fuck, Chase? After all I've done for you?"

"I'm grateful, Luke. But she doesn't deserve to be spoken about like that."

Luke laughed. "And I deserve the punch," he answered flatly. "Right."

"You do," he growled.

Before Luke had the chance to insult Chase or even yell at him, he was interrupted by another voice. "Coach Luke!" a kid cried as he came running towards the two men from the direction of the recreation building, eyes widening at the sight of all the blood. "I—uhm, are you alright, Coach Luke?"

"I'm fine," he snapped, scrambling back up. "What is it, kiddo?"

The next few words that the kid chucked out of his mouth changed Chase's whole life.

"I searched everywhere. I couldn't find Aiden."

* * *

After hours of searching with Luke around the whole two Gull Islands and around town, they came up empty handed. Chase was starting to panic. Aiden couldn't have gone too far, right? He was a smart kid. He ran his fingers through his locks and closed his eyes, picturing where the little eight year old could've gone. "Maybe he's at home." They had already checked there numerous times, but it wasn't a bad idea to check again.

Luke was quiet as he stood next to him, shuffling his feet awkwardly. "I'm sorry, Chase. This is probably my fault."

Chase took a glance at the guy. Dried specks of blood covered his nose and sides of his mouth, which he had attempted to remove with the sleeve of his arm, but failed. He had forgotten the whole bloody nose incident the minute he heard Aiden was missing. Despite the fact that Chase wasn't very fond of Luke's opinion on his wife, he was still a good friend. "No. No, it's not, Luke," he sighed. "You were just doing your job. Kids take time to go to the bathroom. They're like that. It's not your fault. So... thanks."

Luke rubbed the back of his head. "I wish I could help... but it's getting pretty dark." He looked down at the small leather watch clasped to his arm. "It's already ten. You might want to tell... your wife. Maybe he's home with her now. If not... If not, you should report it to Town Hall the minute it opens tomorrow. Get other people to be on the lookout for him, okay? I'm sorry I wasn't of any help. I'll try searching with you tomorrow whenever I'm available... but it's late, and I don't think we'll get anywhere in the dark like this."

"I know... I know... I just... what if he's still out there, Luke? He'll be terrified."

"We've checked everywhere. There isn't a single crack and nook we haven't checked out. We've even checked the mines and every level through them. I'm sorry, Chase... but he's not out here. Just give up for the day, okay? We'll go back to searching tomorrow."

"Yeah... okay. Thanks, Luke."

"No problem, man. What are friends for?" Luke started to bound off towards his home in the Ganache Mine District, but he decided to turn around and tell Chase one more thing. "And Chase? I'm sorry... for... what I said about A... Akari. You're right. I don't really even know her. That does not mean I like her though, okay, man? I'll get used to her, and I'll try to get used to you being in love with her, but that does not mean I will ever like her."

Chase let out a small smile. "Thanks, Luke. That's more than enough. I appreciate it." He couldn't help but think, _You liked her three years ago._

He turned around and gave a little wave. "Yeah, well. I'm trying."

* * *

Akari came home that night to find Chase sitting at the table, staring at his clasped hands in front of him. The house was dark, a single lamp turned on in the living room, far from Chase for that matter. It created a gloomy feeling that filled up every corner of every room. This. This was weird. It was creepy. Chase's lips were in a single line, folded together to make a grimace. His eyes were closed, and she could see the slightest of gray bags underneath his eyes. "Chase...?" she called out, curious if he was asleep or just depressingly out of it. She was scared to know what was going on.

But she could feel that it wasn't good.

His eyes snapped open, dark violet eyes void of anything even close to happiness and bliss.

She scrambled over to his side, pulling a chair next to him. She had been gone the whole night because she was riding around town on her horse, Midknight. It was kind of her thing, her routine. When she came home at one or two in the morning on most nights, she never saw Chase up this late. Sure, he was working at the bar until about twelve, but he usually came home after she was asleep or slept before she came home. "Chase? What is it?" She awkwardly placed her hand on his shoulder.

He looked up and met her gaze. When he realized who it was, he pulled her tightly into a hug, never wanting to let go. "Thank the Goddess. You're okay. I thought..."

Her eyes widened at the touch. She didn't struggle to get away, but she didn't return the hug either. She was just... really confused. "What? Why wouldn't I be okay?"

"I thought... I thought you were gone too," he croaked, not releasing her. "Like..."

"Who's gone?" she asked, alarm raising in her voice. _Aiden? No. No, it couldn't be._

"Our son," he choked out. "Our son is gone."

Akari pulled away from him and stared at him in disbelief. His hands were still clasped to hers, his thumb rubbing her hand tenderly. No. It couldn't be. He couldn't just be... gone. _No. _"You're joking, right? This isn't funny, Chase. It isn't. He can't be gone."

But his eyes, void of any joking or any happiness, answered everything she had just asked.

She pulled her hand away from his and ran up the stairs into Aiden's bedroom. "Aiden? Sweetheart, it's me," she called out frantically. She pushed open the door and took a glance around. Empty. She stripped open the closet and ransacked through it. Empty. She ran into Chase's and her bedroom. Empty. Guest room. Empty. Bathroom. Empty.

No. No, no, no. This couldn't be happening.

The one person in her life that kept her sane. The one person that kept her happy. The one person she cared about more than anything.

Gone.

She ran downstairs, tears streaming down her face to no end. She couldn't see anything. Everything was so blurry. So fucking blurry. But she could make out Chase, sitting there. That's it. Hands clasped, sitting in his chair. Was he not going to help her look for him? Why wasn't he doing anything? She found herself asking him that aloud in a matter of minutes.

"What?"

"Why aren't you doing anything?" she repeated slowly, furiously, as her hands reached up to her eyes to wipe away all of her stray tears. "Don't you even care that your son is missing?"

"Of course I care," he snapped. "I've been searching for him since five. What do you think?"

"You didn't search hard enough!" she screamed.

He stood up abruptly, his chair knocking to the ground. "I didn't search hard enough? I've searched every single nook and cranny of this stupid town, and I didn't search hard enough? I got Luke to search every single nook and cranny, and you're saying we both didn't search hard enough? Do you know how much that is, Akari? Do you? Well, it's a whole damn lot, and I think I searched as hard as I possibly could. I care about Aiden too, but screaming at you and us fighting isn't going to get us anywhere! Do you understand that, Akari? Do you?" His voice was thunderous, shaking the house, shaking her ear drums. He was so close to her now, probably an inch or two away. Too close. His proximity was too close. He lowered his volume, his voice cracking. Broken. "Do you understand, Akari? I need you to understand."

She wasn't used to this, to him breaking. It was always vice versa. Always. She broke, and he comforted. She was weak, and he was strong. There was never a time that he was weaker than she was.

Except for now.

And she didn't know what to do.

"I understand, Chase. I understand," she whispered, as she let him lean against her for moral support. She could feel the tears dripping and landing on her shoulder. They were few, but they were there.

"That's all I need from you, Akari."

* * *

Laa. I feel like I'm confusing people with my story. If you have any questions, feel free to ask. I really hope you guys like it though! Reviews would be appreciated! :]

xx enchanted


	3. Reality

Sorry for the long wait! I've been done with this for a while, but every time I remember to update it, my Internet is always down, and then when it's working, I completely forget. But not this time! I remembered! I really hope you guys enjoy it. Thanks for all the reviews and favorites. :]

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Harvest Moon.

Chapter 3 - Reality

* * *

"What do you mean you won't get people to help us search for our son?" Chase growled, his voice roaring throughout the room, his hands slamming onto Hamilton's dark oaken desk. Hamilton's eyes widened slightly but not enough to give Chase the satisfaction that he had scared the daylights out of him. "He's my son. I want him _found_."

"I'm sorry, Chase, but it just cannot be done. People have their own lives to live through. You can't just interfere and force people to search for your son," Hamilton proclaimed, nervously drumming his fingers. His eyes shifted quickly over to a planted pot next to the corner, away from Chase's eyes. He was great at lying, oh yes, but there was something about Chase's eyes that screamed at him and made him shake in his seat.

"I'm not forcing anyone to search for my son," Chase started out slowly, anything to force Hamilton to understand that he just wanted his son safe. "I'm asking you to politely gather people to volunteer to create some kind of search party. I need help with this. I can't do this alone."

Hamilton hummed a monotonous tune and pursed his lips. "I don't think it can be done, Chase..." he trailed off, not sure of how to avoid the situation. There was no way that he could let Chase know that the main reason... was well, his wife. "It just can't happen."

"Why, Hamilton? Is this because you know that everyone hates Akari?" He narrowed his eyes at the elderly man. "That's not a good enough reason for me."

"No one hates Akari," Hamilton laughed, his voice shaky and throttling with a false undertone. "You know here at Waffle Town, we all appreciate each other."

Chase's response dripped with a poisonous venom, as he replied. "Everyone hates Akari. You know it. For God's sake, you hate Akari too! Don't try to deny it and especially don't try to pretend that everyone's all goody-goody with each other. You and I both know it's not true. All I want right now is my son. I want my son home, safe and sound."

"I don't know what you're talking about, Chase. Don't you dare use that tone with me. I'm the mayor of this town. What I say goes. This town loves Akari; don't you dare tell me otherwise. And as for Aiden, I don't know how I am able to help you. You can go ask people yourself for their help, but I highly doubt that they'll participate in this search. I'm sure your son is just wandering around, and he'll find his way back soon in a matter of hours, Chase."

"Aiden has been gone for at least twenty hours! And you want me to just wait for him to come home? What if he doesn't come home, Mayor Hamilton? What if he's in danger? What if he's been kidnapped? I want to find him now. I want him home with me. I want him safe."

"Why would anyone in Waffle Town kidnap your son? That's ridiculous, Chase."

"Because everyone has it out for Akari, and you know it! Just about everyone in this town has the motive to kidnap Aiden just to spite her."

"I've told you, Chase. Everyone adores Akari. Stop worrying over nothing."

Chase wiped his hand over his face, his lips pursing into an even larger scowl. He was done with him. "You are hopeless. Going to you is probably the most idiotic move I could have made since you just _love_ being delusional and pretending everything in this town is okay. It's not, got it? So get over your little fantasy, Mayor Hamilton, and get a grip. If I don't find my son in a few weeks, I will find a way to sue you, do you understand? So you better start learning how to get off that stupid chair of yours and actually do something to run this crazy town."

And with that, Chase left the room in a huff, slamming the door on his way out, leaving Mayor Hamilton completely stunned and immobile in his chair.

Akari sat in the lobby, waiting for him to come out of the Mayor's office. She saw him storm out of the room, meet her eyes for a few seconds, and proceed out the doors of the Town Hall. She quickly gathered her stuff together and followed in pursuit. "What happened?"

"Mayor Hamilton's a complete bastard, that's what happened. Doesn't deserve to run this town," Chase growled.

"What did he say?"

"He thinks this town is perfectly fine. If you ask me, he has some mental issues."

"What? Perfectly fine?" she exclaimed in confusion. "I'm being ostracized by the whole town, and he thinks it's perfectly fine? He's just like everyone else in this damn town. Perfectly fine my butt. This town has some major problems."

Chase halted at the beach, Akari's favorite place of the town. Her thinking spot. She jogged over to the edge of the water and let her feet sink into the sand. Closing her eyes, she felt the soft breeze fly past her wispy strands of hair. A breath of fresh air. Something relaxing for once.

"You have some problems, too, Akari," Chase murmured quietly as he sat on the dry sand a feet away from her.

"Well, obviously," she sniffed. "But at least I admit it. Everyone else thinks they're right, and I'm in the wrong. Little do they know that everyone's in the wrong. Maybe if they'd actually try to understand from other people's perspectives, this town wouldn't be in so much trouble, but since they can't, it's just another reason why I should leave this place for good."

"You can't leave," Chase answered desperately, his fists clenching. "You can't."

She opened her eyes and turned her amber eyes towards him, feeling the tension in her body softening. It broke her seeing him like this, seeing him so... weak. So in need of her. She smiled wryly at the thought. Who knew that he'd need her instead of vice versa? Not her, for sure.

"I won't," she responded softly, coming over to sit next to him, grasping his hand for confirmation. "Not until we find Aiden, anyway. And then after that... well, I'll see."

"You'll see," he said dryly.

"Chase..."

"No. Don't say anything. I don't want to think about it."

"Then... what do you want to think about?"

"I want to find Aiden, Akari. We have to find Aiden. I know he's not just wandering around. He's a smart kid. He knows how to get home from wherever on this island. Something had to have happen to him. Something... he couldn't handle."

"But... there aren't many beings on this island that could really get to Aiden. He loves almost all the animals, and the only animal that's really potentially dangerous is the bear, which is herbivorous, not carnivorous, mind you. Plus, you know I used to visit them, and I used to bring Aiden along, so there's no way they would've harmed him. Aiden knows how to swim, and he would never go out into the ocean alone, so he couldn't have drowned unless something... purposefully drowned him... Really... nothing could 100% damage him unless something did it to him... It couldn't be something... more like... someone..." she drawled, an idea formulating into her head.

"Someone who hates us."

"Or me."

They were silent, as their words surrounded their thought process. Only one line filled their minds. One line that Chase had gone over that morning when he was yelling at Hamilton.

_Everyone was a suspect because everyone hated Akari._

* * *

Akari bit her lip, as she knocked on the door. Chase had done most of the knocking and the talking, as they wandered to each house, and she hated being there. Being so... vulnerable to all of these people, asking for their help. They all hated her. They all thought she was weird, different, someone to be completely avoided.

No one had agreed to helping them search for their son.

But... Anissa... she was different. She had to be. She had to understand. Akari needed her. Chase had agreed to come along while she attempted to convince her, but he wanted her to do the talking because Anissa had been her best friend when they were younger. It used to be them against the world.

Akari knew Anissa didn't really care for her anymore, but she had to understand too, right? How painful it was to lose your child? She had a son who had died seven years ago when he was left in a house fire, and no one knew until after it was hosed down. She had to help them. She had to.

The door opened, and Anissa in all her glory stood before them. Her long, dark hair framed her pale, thin body so perfectly. Anissa was naturally gorgeous in a way that no one could possibly ever achieve. "Akari..." she greeted unenthusiastically, shifting her gaze from them to the inside of her house. When her dark eyes landed on them again, she asked, "I'm guessing this is about your son."

"You have to help me," Akari managed to spurt out. "Please."

"I don't know, Akari..." she answered nervously. "I don't think I can."

"You know how much it means to lose a son!" she exclaimed furiously in reply. "You have to understand how much this hurts, knowing he's out there but not knowing if he's safe or not. You used to be there for me, Anissa. What happened to us?"

"People change. Things change. The town changes, and sometimes, there are just some things you have to follow to secure yourself from other things. I really... I really can't help you, Akari."

"But Anissa—" Akari was cut off when Jin stepped out to interfere between them. His dark eyes were cold and glassy, even worse as they hid behind his slim glasses. She had never liked Jin despite for her former best friend's love and admiration for him. He was always so distant, as if he wanted nothing more than his own isolation from everyone. She could never understand that, never understand his want to different, to be lonely.

She couldn't understand because she hated the feeling.

"Jin," she greeted with a flat tone.

He stared at her blankly. "Akari," he replied. "What do you want with my wife?"

"Why did you take her away from me?" she countered back furiously.

She knew. She knew that the reason Anissa had left her in the first place was because Jin had forced her to. If he wasn't there... If he wasn't in the picture, she might have actually had a friend in the town. She might have actually still been sane.

"You weren't good for her," he said flatly, his dark eyes staring at her, as if she meant nothing. _Nothing. _How did people do that? How could anyone look at someone as if they didn't exist? She would never understand. She couldn't. It hurt to think it. He removed his gaze from her and pointed it at Chase. "Why don't you go dilly dally somewhere else, Chase? And take your little, naïve wife with you."

A shadow cast over Chase's violet eyes. "Shut the hell up, Jin. We were only asking for your help. Don't talk about my wife as if she were nothing," he furiously growled in reply.

"Your wife, you say? I heard gossip that you two were planning a divorce."

"Fuck off. You don't know anything," he growled, grabbing hold of Akari's arm and dragging her away from the house, past a few trees. Akari was too numb to resist. She felt as if she was on automatic; her legs and feet were like they had a mind of their own. Chase tugged her harder because he could feel her dragging behind. "Come on, Akari. It's pointless asking the people here. We're going to have to figure this out on our own."

"What's the point?" she whispered. "What's the point anymore? I don't know what to do, Chase. No one will help us. I just... I just want my baby boy back. Why do they have to take what happened to me and force it all upon him? Aiden's a good boy, Chase. He doesn't deserve this. If anything, I deserve this, not him."

Chase stopped abruptly, his grasp on hers softening. He turned around and looked into her eyes. They were brimmed with tears; she looked vulnerable, weak even. He hated seeing her like this. He leaned forward so that their foreheads touched with the slightest feeling and firmly grasped onto her shoulders. "Akari, you need to listen to me when I say this, okay? You do not deserve being hurt. You don't. What happened was never your fault."

"It was my fault! It was," she argued softly, her voice dying. "I shouldn't have let it happen... I shouldn't have... I—"

"You didn't know it would happen, Akari! It's not your fault. You had no control, whatsoever. I know Aiden doesn't deserve this, but you don't either. Look at me, Akari. Look. At. Me," he firmly stated, grabbing her chin and directing her eyes at his. "We can find him. If we work together, if we stick together, we can find him. I know he's out there, waiting for us to be there for him. We can do this, okay? We can save him from whatever hell he's in. We can."

She could only nod numbly, her sight blurring as velvet tears dripped down her florid cheeks. She leaned in closer to Chase, only to start crying silently.

_Please let him be safe._

_

* * *

_

"_You're pregnant? What do you mean, 'you're pregnant?'" she heard him say as she stood on the dock. She couldn't see him. Where was he? Where did he go? Why wasn't he there? "I haven't seen you in three months, and you're a..._ month_ pregnant?"_

_Her eyes hurt. They hurt from crying, from being rubbed with by her raw hands over and over, from constantly wiping her tears away with the stupid napkins and tissues she was provided with. They hurt, and she couldn't see him. Too many tears. Too many fucking tears. "Chase," she whispered, "it's not what you think." She could see other things though. She could see people. Too many people. Why was everyone watching them?_

"_It's not what I think? What exactly am I thinking? Please do tell. I'd like to know." _

_She could hear the iciness and the sarcasm in his voice. She could hear his anger and could feel it radiating off his body. She didn't like it. She couldn't stand it. She had to tell him. She needed to make him understand somehow, but she didn't know where he was or even how she would. She wanted to come to him, to hold him in her arms, to assure him that it wasn't true._

_But it was. She was pregnant._

_And it wasn't his baby._

_

* * *

_

Akari woke up suddenly. She could feel a warm arm hold her tightly, as she slightly moved to view her surroundings. She was home. Her body was trembling, as cool sweat trickled down her face. She reached up to touch her tear-stained cheeks. Her eyes felt plump and swollen, her face felt dry and cracked from the dried up tears that had constantly fallen on her face throughout the night; her whole body just felt... disgusting.

She felt disgusting.

"What is it?" Chase murmured, as he felt her shift consistently in his arms.

"It's nothing," she whimpered. "Go back to sleep."

"It isn't nothing."

"It's nothing I want to talk about."

He was silent for a few minutes, as he stared at the back of head, the quaking of her body, and the trickling sweat along the hem of her clothes. He took it all in, absorbed every detail of what he could see. "You had that dream again," he said flatly, coming to a realization.

"It's not a dream..." she trailed off, her voice caught up in her throat. She forced herself to spit out the next few words. "It was a reality."

A cold, horrible reality. A reality she hated to think about, to remember, but it was hard to forget the pain she felt when Chase's eyes bore holes of hatred into her own pools of amber, the pain she felt when he turned away from her. The pain she felt as if he would never love her again.

It was something she'd remember for as long as she lived.

* * *

THIRD CHAPTER IN. Well, I hope you guys are starting to get a gist of it. I'm sorry if it's so complicated! Agh. Feel free to ask any questions. I'll be glad to answer them!

Thanks for all the reviews! I appreciate every one of them. :]

xxenchanted


	4. I'm Sorry

IT'S AN UPDATE, GUYS. I'm so sorry it's been so long, but I have not forgotten this story! I've just been so busy with school and homework and tests and theatre, which kind of just sucks the life out of me, but my theatre competition is over, so now I have time to write again! Yay! I hope you enjoy the following chapter, and I'll hope to get the next one up and going pretty soon, so stick with me here! Thank you so much for being so patient, and thank you for the lovely reviews. I love them all. :]

Disclaimer: I don't own anything except this plot.

Chapter 4 - I'm Sorry

* * *

Aiden does not know where he is.

He knows that his hands are bounded together by something strong and made of metal, but he knows they're not handcuffs because no one locked his hands together. It was like they had just tied it around like a piece of rope. He thinks they must be small chains.

He knows that he is in a truck, going somewhere, and there is a tiny little window that opens up with bars to the driver's seat, but it is covered with a piece of cloth.

He knows that it is dark, cold, and lonely, and he is the only one in the back of the truck.

He knows that if he makes a sound or says a single word, they will stop the truck and come yell at him and beat him like they had done the first few times.

He also knows that they tell him sorry afterwards. He doesn't know why. All he can hear them mumble is that they're sorry because they have to make sure he looks presentable. For who, he doesn't know.

Aiden is terrified. He wants his mommy and his daddy, but he knows that there has been tension between them for a while. He knows his mommy has been upset and has been breaking down as of late. He knows his daddy is tired and scared of what is to come.

Aiden does not know what to do.

He is not sure if he will be saved, but as young as he is, he absolutely refuses to cry because for some reason unknown to him, he has a feeling that his mother and his father will do everything in their power to at least come to him.

* * *

"Pascal, I have some questions for you," Chase mentioned flatly, as he strode into the fish store with diligence and confidence.

There seated across the counter was Pascal, standing and counting the money they had earned just last week. Pascal raised his old, weary eyes towards the younger man. "There is nothing I know answers to."

"Oh, but you do, Pascal," Chase argued as he leaned against the counter with Pascal on the other side. "You run this sea in Waffle Town. There is no one who knows this ocean better than you do, so you have to answer my questions, Pascal."

"Please, Chase. Leave me out of this," Pascal pleaded tiredly, taking a seat on an empty stool. Pascal didn't care about the town, the people's reputation, what they thought of him, what they gossiped about. The only thing he cared about was his beloved boat and his beloved sea and the fish that swam consistently every day. Nothing else mattered except for his family and the sea.

"I can't, Pascal. I'd like to, but I can't let you sit out for this one. My son is missing, and I need your help. Have you noticed any odd disturbances around here lately? Any new boats? Anything at all? Akari and I just thought we'd like to check to see if maybe Aiden was kidnapped or something... by people... outside, you know? We just wanted to be sure before we started investigating." Chase paced back and forth and finally stopped again, breathing in heavily and letting out a sigh of exasperation. "Please, Pascal. Anything you know would help."

Pascal rubbed his temples thoroughly with a slight pressure, enough to temporarily calm his headache that he was already receiving from thinking about... people and their problems. But Chase had always been a help to him. He always did bring in good fish to sell, and not only that, he had always been a sweet gentleman towards Pascal. If there was anybody in the town Pascal was actually willing to be beneficial towards, it'd be Chase.

Pascal got up from his stool and slowly made his way over to a cabinet where they stocked up all of their records of who checked in, what fish they brought, what he spotted when he was out on his boat, et cetera. "If there was anything foreign, it'd be documented in here, Chase," he said, pulling out a few stacks of paper and turned around, handing them to the younger man. "These are all of our documentations. We may have missed some things, but at least it's something. You can take them home for now, and when you're done with them, just return them to me."

Chase's eyes brightened, as he retrieved the papers from Pascal's hands. "Thank you, Pascal," he said gently, a lift in his tone. "I appreciate this."

Pascal's eyes gave a little twinkle. It had been a while since he felt like he made such a difference in anyone's life, but the way Chase had responded had seemed so genuine. Maybe there was hope in the town and its people after all. "Chase, I do hope you find your son."

Chase could only grimace. "Me too, Pascal. Me too."

* * *

Chase came home to find his wife dead asleep on the sofa in the living room. She had been having nightmares as of late, so he was glad she could finally catch up on her sleep after she had finished her ranch work. He took the stack of papers in his hands and placed it on the coffee table. He sat down next to her and slowly ran his hands through her hair, brushing it softly with his fingers and caressing her cheeks softly with his thumb.

When she was asleep, she reminded him of the girl he fell in love with, the girl he was still in love with. The girl he knew was still deep inside of her. It wasn't a feeling of longing. It was... a feeling of knowing that she was still there. It wasn't a wish that she would go back to her old self. No. He never really thought that. It was more... knowing that the girl he was looking at had always been within her, just not in reach. It was knowing that when he had promised to love her forever, he meant it—no matter who she became, she would still always be Akari.

Right now, she was mentally unstable, and he knew that. She had been slowly reaching towards insanity for the past three years, and she was probably not even at her peaking point, but he didn't care. Akari was still Akari. He would always love her because he knew that deep inside of her, there was still Akari, despite her insanity, despite her anger issues as of late. She was still _Akari_, the open, honest girl he had come to love.

So what if she wasn't quirky and innocent? Those were personality characteristics that changed over time. Sure, it was nice to have her be fun and innocent with a bounce in her step, but at the end of the day, he was just happy to have her by his side.

And he knew when she left him, he'd be the one dying on the inside, the one to become insane and weak.

Chase broke out of his trance when she stirred slightly in her sleep.

For now, he thought, at least he could enjoy the time while they had it. Just for now.

* * *

Kathy would do anything to get her hands on Chase, the only guy who had never succumbed to her seductions. Oh, she knew that Maya had always had this big puppy crush on the guy, but Maya could understand if Kathy went out with the guy once, right? She had to, _had to_ somehow make Chase fall in love with her. Every other guy had at least gone out with her once, but no, not Chase. From the very first day that he had come into town, he was immediately in the arms of stupid _Akari_.

Kathy hated seeing them together. The sight of them made her sick and her stomach church. At first, it wasn't so bad. She thought it wouldn't last anyway. But nine whole years, they were stuck to each other like glue. Who could live like that? She liked having different men around.

Oh, please, she wasn't a whore or anything. She just liked having variety. Different people, different months. Same _bored_ her to tears. She liked adventure, a variety of circumstances, occasions, taking risks. Going steady and marrying was just... not her thing.

How Chase and Akari had managed to stay together for so long was beyond her.

Kathy didn't have a crush on Chase. In all honestly, she just wanted to rub it in Akari's face.

There was just something about the girl that she despised. Seeing her made her sick to the stomach. She didn't really know _why_, per say, she just... did. Maybe it was the way Chase looked at her like she was... an angel, and she just wondered why no one ever looked at her like that. Even though Akari had been a part of something so... despicable, Chase still loved her.

She hated it. No one loved her. No one cared for her ambition, her rowdiness, her love for horses, for _anything_. Sure, she liked variety, but she knew half of the reason why she did was because she was waiting for the moment someone would finally sweep her off her feet.

So when Akari had mentioned she was twenty-nine and still single, it hit a nerve inside, and the fire of hatred towards her just grew even more.

When Chase came late to work, Kathy immediately glued herself next to him. "Hi there, handsome," she smirked.

Chase only threw her a look of confusion before replying with, "Hello, Kathy."

"I hear you and your wife are finally divorcing."

Chase stopped midway through putting on his apron. Slowly, he finished tying a knot at the back and turned back towards her, narrowing his eyes fiercely, fists clenching. "Shut your mouth, Kathy. It's not something I'd like to talk about."

"What are you talking about? You did decide you wanted to leave her right? I mean, who could possibly live with _her_ after what she did anyway? It'll be good for you, Chase."

"Shut up, Kathy," he repeated tightly, as he went back to his kitchen and started wiping down the counters with a wet rag.

Kathy followed him, ignoring his comment, and leaned against a pillar. "It's _Akari_, for heaven's sake. You know, the big slut. She doesn't deserve someone as fine as you anyway. What's so special about her? It's a good thing you'll be a free man, Chase—a very good thing indeed. You guys were never good together. You're such a sweetheart for putting up with that thing for so long. Poor you. You have such a good heart—"

Chase slammed one of his pans against the wall, right next to Kathy's head, slightly touching her long blonde hair. Kathy's bright green eyes flashed with fear for a mere second, as Chase leaned in, his hot breath right up her nose. "Didn't I already tell you, Kathy? Shut your fucking mouth. Don't talk about Akari like that. She's still my wife, and I still love her. If you want to talk about her, talk about her with Maya or something, but don't ever mention it to me. Got it?"

Kathy stayed frozen for a while, watching, as he gathered himself up and away from her, going back to his kitchen to turn on the stove. Her eyes stayed fearful before they fiercely glared at his back. She just didn't get it.

Why? Why in the world did Chase love Akari so much? Just what was so special about her? To make her seem like the bad guy and Akari the victim? Akari was the one who had slept with another man, for heaven's sake!

Chase paused in his cooking one more time to turn back at Kathy, who was still standing there, frowning with angry eyes towards the floor, completely lost in thought. "And Kathy?" She stopped and looked up, raising an eyebrow. "I would never, ever go out with you."

Kathy lips turned into a sneer. "Well, lucky for me. Every other guy would."

"I'm not every other guy."

"Figures."

* * *

Chase shifted through the papers that he had received from Pascal. He skimmed through each page and finally turned to the page of the day that Aiden had disappeared from their life. As he scanned the page, he realized he wasn't really sure what he was looking for, but he knew that he just wanted to make sure that there wasn't any possible way that someone outside of the town had possibly taken Aiden. The only way would be to check incoming and outgoing boats the night or a few nights after the kidnapping had occurred.

He heard the front door to the house open, and he looked up to see Akari come in, wiping her gloves together to get rid of the dirt before tossing them in a drawer. She looked up, startled at his presense. "What are you doing home so early? You're usually home by midnight or so. It's ten," she mused.

"I took the rest of the day off. Some things at work... kind of bothered me today," he replied, recalling the events that had happened with Kathy and the way she had glomped all over him. He shuddered. There was something vindictive in her eyes. He hated it. She walked with a condescending manner, and her eyes screamed dishonesty.

"What are you looking at?" she asked, as she pulled out a chair in front of him and sat herself down. "Are those the papers Pascal lent you?"

He nodded, as he glanced back down at the page. The day that Aiden had disappeared, nothing went in, and nothing went out. That didn't mean that someone from outside hadn't taken Aiden; it just meant if they had, it probably was delayed for a day or two, but even then, they'd have to stay somewhere right? The only place that held any lodging was the Sundae Inn. He made a mental note to check the information of the guests after he finished searching the data from Pascal.

"Can I look at it?" Akari asked, breaking his thought-process.

He shuffled the papers together and handed them over to her.

He watched, as her delicate fingers peeled page off of page off of page. He saw her eyebrows scrunch together in confusion at one particular page and noticed that her hands had frozen stiff in place. "What is it, Akari?"

She brought her eyes to meet his, and he noticed how fear had controlled the rest of her emotions. She slowly gave him the paper in her hand. "Look at what Pascal wrote down," she whispered.

The date scripted on the paper was only a day or two after Aiden's disappearance. He scanned down the paper, oblivious to the normal functions that went on throughout the day until his eyes hit the numbers 4:05 P.M. Next to the time slot in big, messy scriptures were the words, "Stranger. Who is he? Never checked in but is checking out. Has a few more men with him. Big sack in hand. It's moving. Odd group."

Akari bit her lip, eyes filled with worry. "Do you think...?"

He found himself nodding slowly.

They both had a bad feeling that the big sack mentioned was what most likely held their little Aiden.

* * *

"_You're despicable." She turned around and saw Kathy standing there, gloating with fierce, green eyes scorning upon her. "I can't believe you cheated on Chase."_

"_He's given you so much, Akari," another voice said, softer, more genuine, more... saddening. Maya. It had to be. _

_A force pushed her to the ground, and she found bloody knees adorning her body. She felt pain echoing, as she brought up her elbows and pushed herself up with them. She could feel the concrete scrape her skin, the pain searing, as she flinched. She looked up, eyes searching for him. Where was he? "Chase?"_

"_He left you, bitch," another voice piped up, snarling. "He doesn't want anything to do with you anymore."_

"_I didn't do anything," she managed to cough out, but she screamed, as she felt a foot kick her in the back and knock her back to the ground. She wiped the blood that had started to seek through her swollen lips. "I didn't!"_

"_You're pregnant, Akari. Don't even try to lie!" someone else said. "You were gone for three months! You can't be one month pregnant without having cheated on Chase."_

"_I didn't cheat—" She felt a slap to her face. She looked up to meet the burning green eyes of Kathy. Next to her was timid Maya, standing, worried, but she didn't do anything. Behind them, she could see the scornful looks of Selena and Luke. Why? Why were they treating her like this?_

"_You did," another voice said. She strained to turn around and saw Jin standing next to her, towering above her with his deathly eyes. "You cheated, little girl. You're pregnant. Haven't you figured that out yet? You're one month pregnant, and you've been out of town for three months. That says something right there. Stop trying to hide it."_

"_Don't you see what you've done?" Kathy's sadistic voice cut in. "You've hurt Chase. You've caused a scandal in town. You know how old-fashioned we are, and you caused a fucking scandal. You're pathetic, a worthless human being. You don't deserve to live. You're worth nothing! All this time, Chase has loved you; I don't know why. What's so special about you? You're just a piece of shit. And I was right all along! You went off to go fuck some guy, and here you are, with your precious little mistake. You can forever remember the mistakes that you made, girly. Just get out of here! Get out of town! No one wants you here. You'll just be a reminder of what we hate so much in life—betrayal." She raised her hand to slap her again but suddenly felt a force stop her. "What?"_

"_Shut up."_

_Akari, tears flooding her eyes, managed to look up to see her husband grabbing a hold of Kathy. His eyes were a dark shade of midnight purple, the darkest she had ever seen. His lips were in the form of a line, a grimace, and his face was void of emotion. She tried pleading with him through her eyes, but they remained emotionless and dark; she could sense hatred pouring out of every bone of his body. "Chase," she cried out._

"_Shut up," he repeated, his voice cold and callous. "I don't want to hear it. Any of it. I don't want to hear you, and I don't want to hear them. I'm done."_

"_Done?" she croaked out. "You have to hear me out, Chase. You have to—"_

"_I don't have to do anything. Leave her alone, Kathy. Just leave her alone. I don't want to see anyone hurting her."_

"_What? Why? Look what she's done!"_

_He shot her a glare. "Don't even fight with me right now. I'm not in the mood to talk." With that, he turned around and headed home._

"_Wait, Chase," Akari managed to scream out, crying, sobbing._

_He stopped for a few seconds, standing there, hands in his pockets. He slightly turned around, envisioning the pained girl on the ground in the corner of his eyes. He closed his eyes and breathed in before saying coldly, "I don't want to talk to you, Akari. Not now. Please." He ignored her pleas to wait, to listen and just walked forward._

_Akari could hardly breathe. What had happened? Why... why would no one listen to her? Her tears were coming out as full-fledged sobs, pain searing through her body. Her shoulders shook heavily in heaves. She couldn't stop crying. She felt bodies bustling around, "accidentally" shoving and kicking her. She barely had any energy to just scream out and yell at them or push them down with her. She was independent, but she had no strength left to fight, to plead. _

_She had never felt so alone in a crowd._

_She stayed there on the ground for the longest time, unable to move. Her body was aching. It was in so much pain. She attempted to pick herself up but failed miserably when she felt her sprained ankle twist even more and cried out in pain. What was the point, she thought miserably. She had nowhere to go anyway. In only a matter of minutes, everyone in town hated her. How did this happen? If only they'd let her explain, but what difference would that make? She smiled ruefully to herself, tears streaming down, slipping across her swollen eyes and puffy lips. They wouldn't care._

_She had noticed the hatred burning in Kathy's eyes—it wasn't the type of hatred to just spring up suddenly. It was the kind of contempt that had been building up for quite some time, just waiting on the edge of the sidelines to come out and jump at her. She didn't understand. What had she ever done to Kathy?_

_She bit her lip, squeezing her eyes shut. What had she done to deserve this? To be ostracized and hated in a matter of minutes? She thought people had found her friendly, had liked her. But Kathy was right. It was a very old-fashioned town. A scandal like hers was like a sin against everyone. _

_She felt something tap against her shoulder, and she blinked a few times to scatter away her tears and then looked up. She felt herself stop breathing for a minute, surprised and startled. "Chase...?" She blinked a few more times, wondering if the tears were still pooling in her eyes, but most of them were gone, and the man was there, clear as day._

_He grimaced, as he looked away shyly, running his fingers through his hair uncertainly, left hand outstretched for her to grab._

_She looked at his open fingers, wondering exactly what he wanted her to do. Her first instinct was to grab it and let him help her up from the ground, but she didn't know if he wanted her to do that._

"_Just grab it, for goodness' sake, before I change my mind, Akari," he sighed gruffly. She delicately let him grab a hold of her and cringed, as she forced herself up. Her body ached with pain, but she couldn't just sit there all day, and she knew that. His voice softened, as he saw the pain written on her face, and he found himself gently voicing out, "Steady there."_

_He took his time taking a sweep over her injured body. She was badly hurt, he noticed. Dark splotches of blue and green decorated the edges of her cheeks with its dark, ghastly beauty. Her small lips were now swollen up in size, dried up blood crusting the corners and cracked lines of her lips. Her pale arms and legs were scraped badly, blood encircling each wound that occupied her skin. Long lined cuts ran from her ankle to her knee, blood crusting along the sides. "Why..." she whispered, as she felt her body go numb, and her vision go black._

_She could faintly hear him whisper, "Because I still love you, idiot. Let's go home, Akari."_

"_I'm sorry," she murmured softly, barely a whisper against the winds, but he heard her quite clearly, as he picked up her injured body and carried her home._

"I'm sorry," she muttered, tears spilling down her cheeks. "I'm sorry; I'm sorry. Chase... I'm sorry."

"Shh, Akari," she heard a whisper murmur against her ears, fingers softly brushing her hair to soothe her. "It's okay. It was just a dream. You've been having these nightmares lately."

She squirmed in the bed, crying. "I'm sorry, Chase."

"Shhh. It's okay, Akari. It wasn't your fault," he softly whispered, as she continued to cry in the dark. He pulled her against him, and let her sob against his bare chest. "Akari, shhh. It's okay. There's no need to apologize."

"I'm sorry..." After a few more tears, and a little more soothing on Chase's part, she fell back into a deep sleep against his body, her heavy breathing taking over the sounds of the room. He took his thumb and gently wiped away the small tears from her florid cheeks but kept her flushed against him. His fingers continuously brushed through the soft strands of her hair, knowing how much it helped her go to sleep. He had used to do it when they were in happier times, but it had been a while since she had allowed him to lull her to sleep.

"It's okay, Akari. You know I'll always love you," he said softly, as he tenderly watched her sleep in his arms. "Always. I can promise you that."

* * *

Yay, guys! Another chapter down! I'm sorry how OC so many of the characters are, but I need someone vindictive and evil and even though I love Kathy, I just kind of like her character to play it more so than anyone else. But I do love Kathy! I hope you guys like the story so far, and I'll do my best to update as soon as possible. Criticism is very much welcomed. Thanks for reading and please review! I love hearing your thoughts.

Edit (4/19/11): If you guys read this chapter before this edit, there was a time where I put Kathy with red eyes, believing that she had them, but I just remembered that's Eve from HM:MM, not HM:ToT. I just got a review that stated Kathy's eyes are green, which totally blew my mind because I haven't played this game in the longest time ever. SO! I'm super duper sorry about that. Without meaning to, I've been modeling Kathy after Eve from HM:MM this whole time, who also happens to work at a bar/inn in the game and has blonde hair. Whoopsy daisies. Again, I'm so sorry, but it has been changed!


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